The Death Game
by UnfinishedPhantom
Summary: Ichigo played the SAO as a beta tester, and Rukia wants to play it. Now, they are both trapped in the game.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer :I don't own Bleach or Sword Art Online.

**The Death Game**

"_The new invention, the Nerve Gear, is currently available through the official sites of…" _Click.

"Hey, what's so great about this Nerve Gear? Every TV channels are all about it." Rukia asked. After the Quincy war, she was assigned to keep an eye on Ichigo. Even though the task was simple enough, it needed someone who was strong enough because of his new power. "Well, they say it make the virtual reality feels like the real world." He replied. "Though I don't agree."

"You played it? The game they are advertising?" Rukia half-asked, half-shrieked. He jumped a bit. "Well, I was a beta-tester. I saw an event and entered it, and it was random drawing. Some say I was lucky, but it wasn't that good." Ichigo said.

"How does it cost? I want to play it! Do you know where I can buy the set?" Rukia asked. He just shrugged. "If you want to play it that badly, you can just use mine. I'll not play the real game, and I got the real game program as something like a thank-you gift. It's still unopened one."

"That's not what I want." Rukia said with a serious expression. Ichigo looked at her, not realizing what she meant.

"I want you to explain how to play the game to me, Ichigo.""Huh? it's not like you can get the game easily. If you get a set somehow, I'll help you." He said, wanting to end the conversation.

"Fine."

"I got one!"

Ichigo stared at her. Tomorrow was the day of opening, and she got it-on time. It was just a comment to make her give up on playing the game, but she somehow did it.

"H-how did you get it? I thought it was all sold out."

"Well, I found out someone who got this as a gift-and she sell this on online. I bought it. Simple as that." Ichigo almost laughed at her prideful voice, but she ignored it. "Remember your promise?"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember. It's hard to explain everything today, so I'll give you just two tips now. It's not much and you should remember it tomorrow." "Ryokai!" Ichigo chuckled at this one comment.

"First, name your avatar's name different than your name. Some people can find everything-in this world- about you just by your name, so be careful."

"But, than how do I name my name?" Rukia interrupted. Ichigo shrugged. "I don't know maybe something like Hikari(1)? You know, your name Rukia(ルキア) have similar sound as Lucia(ルチア), the saint of light. I think it's a good one." She thought about it. It was not a bad name. "The second one is?" She asked. He chuckled. "well, It's my avatar's name. It's Mamoru(2). It's not hard to remember, huh?"

"Uh-huh. So, real lecture begin tomorrow, right? AT the game."

"Yeah, I'll definitely lead your way."

Hikari means light.

Mamoru means to protect.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or Sword Art Online.

**The Death Game**

* * *

"It's here Ichi-" A black haired, normal-heighted female avatar called some other one.

"Don't say my name in this game! It can be considered rude in online." An another male avatar with vivid orange hair cut off what she was saying. Though Ichigo made his avatar slightly less tall, the height difference was there.

"Oh, so cutting off when people are not considered rude while calling someone with his real name is rude?" Rukia -now Hikari- teased Ichigo - now Mamoru - playfully. It was something she can manage to do in this new world without Ichigo's help.

"That's different matter. Now, would you like to start exploring?" Ichigo changed the course of the conversation. His companion was eager enough, and it was easy to see she was excited. "What are you waiting? Let's go!" She exclaimed, and ran away. Ichigo stopped her.

"Sorry to break your hope, but, Ru – no, Hikari, the weaponry is not that way, it's this direction."

"Tell something like that early!"

* * *

"Did you finished your shopping yet?" Rukia asked to Ichigo, sarcaristically.

"It was not a real shopping, it was to get an actually working blade!" Ichigo replied.

"Now this is Anneal Blade(1), one of the best blade you can get in the first floor. Wind floret(2) is a good one, but it is more like a rapier, and I strengthened it, so using it in the higher floor will be hard. Oh, and this curve blade is interesting. On the official site before opening, there was something about earning special skills. Using curved blade can earn a special skill – Katana. I think it's not a bad idea." Ichigo explained everything he know about the game to her. He already completed the Earnil Blade quest, and he was about to complete same quest again. Rukia was thinking about her weapon choice. She was keep looking at curved blade and the Wind Floret. She reached her hand to the curve blade.

"If you want the floret, use it. You have your katana, and this is not reality. You don't have to choose what you used before." Ichigo said. Rukia was looking at the floret with the curved blade on her hand.

"If you say so…. Maybe it'll be alright…." She changed the weapon with uncertainty. She held it straight. It was bluish white, whick made her think about her Sodeno Shirayuki.

"So, the hunt now?" Ichigo asked. Rukia was definitely excited. "Yeah, let's go!" She ran to the nearest ally to the field.

* * *

"Congrats on your first victory... but that boar—it's about as hard as slimes from other games." "Eh, really? I thought it was some sort of semi-boss or something!"

"Not a chance."

The voice of the first one was familiar to Ichigo. He heard it from his beta testing time…

"Are you Kirito?" he asked the first one. The game perfectly made people hear their voice in the real world because the Nerve Gear starting command was voice-activated. It was one sure thing that would hardly ever change.

"Mamoru? I thought you'll not play this game again." Kirito said. Rukia tugged Ichigo.

"If you mind, would you like to introduce us?" She said with a bit of sarcasm.

"I was going to, you midget." Ichigo replied with same tone. "Well, Kirito, this is Ru – I mean, Hikari. She's a friend from the real world, and the reason why I play this game again. Hikari, this one here is Kirito. He was something closest to a party member during the beta. And the man there is…."

"Klein. I just met him, and just helping him with the sword skill." Kirito explained. Ichigo just nodded. "Klein, this is Mamoru, and as he said, I was in par with him at the beta testing." The man – Klein - nodded. He looked at Ichigo's and Rukia's hand, and abruptly asked.

"hey, where was the weapon shop? I didn't remember seeing one."

"You were training without proper weapon? Wow, Kirito, you're a hardcore teacher." Ichigo replied. "There's a weapon shop in just five minutes. You want to look?"

"Sure! ...is what I want to say, but..." Klein's delicate eyes looked at the bottom right of his vision. He must have been checking the time.

"...well, I should log off and eat. I ordered some pizza for 5:30."

"Well, good for you. I just hope my dad will wake me up during the game as he usually do. Pizza is a much nicer wake-up call." Ichigo said. Rukia chuckled, remembering the 'normal' morning in the Kurosaki family.

"Eh…? There's no logout button." Klein, who was about to log out, said. "No way." Kirito said, and take a look on his panel. He froze.

"Is there any other way to log out?" Klein asked. Kirito and Ichigo both thought about it for a moment…"No." "I don't think there is a way." They both replied. Soon, someone overheard us opened their own control panel and tried to log out. Then…

"Ah... look up!"

Four of them almost automatically turned our eyes upward. There, a strange sight greeted them.

The bottom of the second floor, one hundred meters above us, was checkered in red. When Ichigo looked closely, he could see that the pattern was made up of two phrases crisscrossing each other: the words [ Warning ] and [ System Announcement ] written in red. Kirito was surprised for a moment but then thought, "Oh, the operator is going to begin informing us now," and the tension in my shoulders eased a bit.

The chatter died down in the plaza and everyone could feel everyone waiting to hear what was going to be said. However, what happened next wasn't what they had expected.

From the middle of the pattern, a liquid that looked like blood started oozing down slowly. It came down at a rate that almost emphasized how viscous it was, but it didn't fall all the way down; instead, it started congealing into a shape.

What appeared was a twenty-meter tall figure with a hooded robe draped around it.

No, that wasn't exactly right. From where the players were looking, they could easily see into the hood—there was no face. It was absolutely empty. They could clearly see the inner cloth and the green embroidery inside of the hood. It was the same inside the robe, all we could see inside the edges were shadows.

"….GM?" Kirito asked.

『Players, I welcome you all to my world.』

The thing, whatever that is, said.

『My name is Kayaba Akihiko. Right now, I am the only person who can control this world.』

"What?!" "The Kayaba Akihiko?" Ichigo and Kirito said at the same time.

『I think that most of you have discovered the fact that the Log Out button has disappeared from the main menu. This is not a bug; it is all part of «Sword Art Online»'s system.』

"Part of... the system?" Klein muttered brokenly.

The announcement continued in its low voice as if to cover the sound.

『Until you get to the top of this castle, you cannot log out of your own free will.』

"Castle…like, the entire Aincrad?" Ichigo muttered.

『...also, the disruption or dismantling of the Nerve Gear from the outside is strictly forbidden. If these things are attempted...』

A moment of silence.

The silence of ten thousand people was overwhelming. The next words came slowly.

『the signal sensors in your Nerve Gear will emit a strong electromagnetic pulse, destroying your brain and stopping all of your basic functions.』

Destroy one's brain. In other words, it meant it will kill them.

Any user that turned the Nerve Gear off or unlocked the clasp and took it off would be killed. That is what Kayaba had just stated.

People in the crowd started muttering, but there was no one shouting or panicking. It was either that everyone, like me, couldn't understand it yet, or refused to.

Klein raised his right hand slowly and tried to grasp the headgear that would be situated there in the real world. As he did, he let out a dry laugh and started talking.

"Haha... what's he saying? That man, has he gone nuts? He's not making any sense. The Nerve Gear... It's just a game. Destroy our brain... How is he going to do that? Right, Kirito, Mamoru?"

His voice broke at the last shout.

"...theoretically it's possible, but... he must be bluffing. Because if we pull the plug on the Nerve Gear, there's no way it can emit a strong pulse of that type. Unless there's some form of battery with a huge storage capability... inside..."

Klein already guessed the reason why Kirito had stopped talking.

"There... is," he said, his words almost a scream with a hollow expression on his face. "Thirty percent of the gear's weight is in the battery. But... that's totally crazy! What if there was a sudden power outage or something!?"

Kayaba started explaining, as if he had heard what Klein had shouted.

『To be a little more specific, disconnection from an outside source of electricity for ten minutes, being cut off from the system for more than two hours, or any attempt to: unlock, dismantle, or destroy the Nerve Gear. If any of these conditions are met, the brain destruction sequence will start. These conditions have been made known to the government and the public through mass-media in the outside world. On that note, there have been several cases where the relatives or friends have ignored the warnings and tried to forcefully remove the Nerve Gear. The result...』

The metallic voice took a short breath here.

『...regretfully 213 players have already exited this game, and the real world, forever.』

A long, thin scream was heard. But most of the players couldn't or refused to believe what they had been told, and just stood there slack-jawed or with a wry smile on their faces.

Rukia pulled Ichigo's avatar down. She whispered to him.

"What do you think about us? What actions your father will take? Dying doesn't matter to us, but in this game….."

"I'm pretty sure he will go to Urahara's as soon as he know something about this." Ichigo replied. "They will choose the best options as possible. If they manage to get us out of here, it must mean they made sure of what will happen. However, if there's possibility of resulting something bad, they will not do it. Or, that's what I think."

"...don't believe it... I don't believe it," Klein, still sitting on the ground, started saying in a strained voice. "He's just trying to scare us. How would he do such a thing? Stop kidding around and let us out. We don't have time to play along to your sick opening ceremony. Yeah... this is all just an event. An opening show, right?"

『Players, there is no need to worry about the bodies you left on the other side. As of this moment, all TV, radio, and Internet media are repeatedly reporting this situation; including the fact that there have been numerous deaths. The danger of having your Nerve Gear taken off has already all but disappeared. In a moment, using the two hours I have provided, all of you will be transported to hospitals or similar institutes and be given the best treatment. So you can relax... and concentrate on beating the game.』

"What?" Kirito yelled.

"What are you saying!? Beat the game!? You want us to play around in a situation like this!?"

"This isn't a game anymore!"

Then Kayaba Akihiko started announcing quietly with his monotonous voice.

『But I ask of you all to understand that «Sword Art Online» is no longer a simple game. It is a second reality... From now on, any form of revival in the game will no longer work. The moment your HP reaches 0, your avatar will be gone forever. And at the same time...』

『...your brain will be destroyed by the Nerve Gear.』

"... no freaking way," Kirito muttered softly.

『Players, there is only one way to be freed from this game. As I have said before, you must get to the top of Aincrad, the one hundredth floor, and defeat the final boss that resides there. All players still alive at that time will be immediately logged out of the game. I give you all my word.』

players still alive at that time will be immediately logged out of the game. I give you all my word.』

Ten thousand players stood in silence.

It was then that Kirito realized what Kayaba meant when he said, «get to the top of this castle». He was talking about Aincrad itself.

"Clear... all 100 floors!?" Klein suddenly shouted. He got up quickly and raised a fist up to the sky.

"And how do you want us to do that? I heard that getting up was crazy hard even during the beta testing!"

This was true. During the two months of beta testing, the one thousand players that had taken part only managed to get to the sixth floor. Even if ten thousand people had dived right now, how long would it take to get through all 100 floors? Most players who had been forced here would be asking themselves this rhetorical question.

The strained silence eventually gave way to low murmuring. But there was no sign of fear or despair.

Most people here would still be confused about whether this was a «real danger» or a «seriously warped opening event». Everything Kayaba had said was so horrifying that it felt unreal.

『Then I will show you evidence that this is the only reality. In your inventories, there will be a gift from me. Please confirm this.』

As soon as I heard this, Kirito pressed my finger and thumb together and pulled downwards. All the players did likewise and the plaza was filled with the ringing sound of bells.

All the player pressed the Item button on the menu that appeared and the item was there, at the top of the belongings lists.

The name of the item — «Hand Mirror»

Rukia muttered, "What's this?" and touched "Make Into Object" button. Suddenly, Klein was wrapped in white light. As soon as the other noticed this, they were engulfed in the white light.

When the light died, everything was same – but not. The face in the mirror was something Ichigo and Rukia knew. They stared each other.

"Ruki-No, Hikari? You look same as you were on the real life."

"Do you think I didn't noticed that, you stupid straw…" Ichigo covered her mouth because he didn't wanted to let anyone know his real name in this game, let alone the nickname made from it.

"Who are you?", "No, Who are you?"

Kirito and Klein asked the same questions. At least, their voice was same. The avatar which had Kirito's voice looked like feminine, but it was definitely a boy. Klein looked like a fallen samurai – but definitely not a fallen shinigami. He looked like someone from historical drama.

Kirito looked into the mirror. "Ah…it's me…"

"Really? You loook more feminine than what I thought." Ichigo said. Kirito looked at him. With his orange hair, he looked like a typical delinquent. Unlike him, Hikari looked like just a normal student you can easily see. The height difference between Mamoru and Hikari was big. It seemed like Hikari shrunk a bit.

"Ah, Right!" Kirito yelled suddenly. "There are high density signal sensors in the Nerve Gear covering our whole head. So it can tell not only how our brains look, but our faces too..."

"B-But, how can it know what our bodies look like... Like how tall we are?"

"The calibration." Ichigo answered Klein's question. "It need to put on our height in it, Right? They must have used it."

"...Reality," Kirito muttered. "He said that this was reality. That this polygon avatar... and our HP was our real body and our real life. In order to make us believe this, he's produced a perfect copy of us..."

"But...But y'know Kirito, and … Mamoru?"

Klein scratched his head roughly and the eyes beneath his bandana shone as he shouted.

"Why? Why the hell's he doing something like this...?"

『You will all most probably be wondering, "Why." Why am I —the creator of both the Nerve Gear and SAO, Kayaba Akihiko— doing something like this? Is this a sort of terrorist attack? Is he doing this to ransom us?』

It was then that Kayaba's voice, which had been emotionless up to now, seemed to show some signs of emotion. Suddenly the word «empathy» passed through my mind, even though there was no way that would be true.

『These are not the reasons why I am doing this. Not only that, but for me, there is no longer a reason or a purpose in doing this. The reason is because... this situation itself was my purpose in doing this. To create and watch this world is the only reason I have created the Nerve Gear and SAO. And now, everything has been realized.』

Then after a short pause, Kayaba's voice, now emotionless again, spoke.

『...Now, I have finished the official tutorial for «Sword Art Online». Players—I wish you luck.』

This last sentence trailed off with a faint echo.

The huge robe rose soundlessly and started sinking, hood first, into the system message that covered the sky, as if melting.

Its shoulders, then its chest, then its two arms and legs merged into the red surface, and then a final red stain spread briefly. Right afterward, the system message that had covered the sky disappeared as suddenly as it appeared.

The sound of the wind blowing above the plaza and the BGM that the NPC orchestra was playing came softly to our ears.

The game had returned to its normal state, apart from the fact that a couple of rules had been changed.

Then— at last.

The crowd of ten thousand players gave a proper reaction. In other words, countless voices started resounding loudly through the plaza.

"It's a joke right...? The hell is this? It's a joke right!?"

"Stop kidding around! Let me out! Let me out of here!"

"No! You can't! I've got to meet someone soon!"

"I don't like this! I'm gonna go home! I want to go home!"

Yells. Clamors. Shouts. Curses. Begging. Screaming.

The people that had changed from game players to prisoners in a matter of minutes crouched clutching their heads, waved their arms about, grasped each other or started to swear loudly.

In the midst of all this noise, Kirito's mind became strangely cool again.

"Klein, come over here for a sec." Kirito called Klein. Ichigo pulled Rukia aside.

"It would be better if we go to the next village now. You want to come?"

Rukia thought about it for a sec. "…but…if this became reality, I think it'll be better to have katana."

"You can always buy that one in other village. No, a better one. I think it's better to leave now."

"If you say so. I don't know anything about this game, you know?"

"So, next village?"At the same time, Klein finished conversation with Kirito and went into the city.

"Are you going to the next village?" Ichigo asked. Kirito nodded.

"Well than, let's go.

* * *

(1) Anneal Blade is an item that can be found on the first floor. It's one of the best weapon in the low floors, and Kirito used it in the beginning. It is written on the Sword Art Online Progressive.

(2) Wind Floret is the sword Asuna used in the first floor by Kirito's is a monster-drop item, and Asuna used it with some strengthning.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or SAO.

**The Death Game**

* * *

"Karin, would you mind turning off the TV when you're not watching?" Yuzu asked.

"Not yet. The final game of the J-League(1) will start in few minutes. I can't miss this!" Karin replied as she sat down on the couch. Just then, a subtitle appeared.

'SAO developer, Kayaba Akihiko's emergency announcement?!' it read. Just below the subtitle, another one appeared. 'Due to a special breaking news, the J-League Final would be postponed.'

"What! No! Why it had to be delayed!" Karin screamed. She wanted to watch that one badly.

"Hey, what's up?" Isshin asked. He just had his last patient of the day, and closed the hospital side of the door.

"It's nothing, dad. Karin's just being angry about the final games delays on TV. They are having some news about the SAO." Yuzu answered. "WHY!?WHY?! WHYYYYYY!?" Karin yelled in the background.

_"Just a few minutes ago, a mail was sent to the major broadcasting channels. It was from Kayaba Akihito, the developer of the game Sword Art Online. The only thing in the mail was an internet address, and a sentence, "broadcast this." We will now show you the real-time broadcasting of the Sword Art Online.'_

* * *

"Die…? Ichigo niisan will die?" Yuzu asked, no, more like muttered to herself after hearing Kayaba's new rules.

"There's no way that he will die! He's a shinigami-the god of death. Even if he die, only the body of him will die. His soul will be alive!" Karin said, as if she wanted to deny the possibility of Ichigo dying.

"Wait, Karin, Yuzu, be reasonable."Isshin said. "There is possibility of him to just wake up, but we have to be sure, right?" He called someone on his phone. "I'm pretty sure that Kisuke doesn't want to lose Ichigo either.

* * *

"Yes, I saw the news, too." Urahara Kisuke answered the phone, already expected what he was going to say. "I hacked into the company and found the address of people. I sent 500 camera flies to the nearest players. Seven of them was dies because someone forced to make them log off. Unfortunately, the soul of those players seems like they forgot everything."

"Wait, if I am remembering correctly, the memories of a soul is erased because of konso."

"Yes, you're right. The souls in the Soul Society can't remember a thing from their previous life because of the konso. However, in this case, the people died from the brain damage, through and through. I think that erased the people's memory, and it affected the soul. I'm not sure because I don't have enough data, but I guess same thing could happen to Ichigo and Rukia."

"Okay, thank you for your information." Isshin ended the call.

"It was my pleasure."

* * *

_"I'll hunt a bit before I go into the village!" _Kirito leaved with those words, with his Earnil blade with him. As soon as Kirito got out of the hearing range, Rukia turned to Ichigo.

"Okay, let's shunpo to the village."

"What are you saying? This is not reality, it's game. We can't use shunpo in here!"

"Did you tried it? If we can use zankensoki here, it would surely help us." Rukia asked him. She was sure that he didn't try it.

"Well, no, but isn't it a common sense?" Ichigo counterattacked.

"Oh well, if you insist. I'll just use it." And with that, she actually shunpo'ed away.

"…System error? Hey wait for me!" Soon, a orange haired teen followed the girl.

* * *

"So, it worked only once." Ichigo said.

They were at a lodge Ichigo found during beta testing. It cost 100 col a day, but the interior and the service was great. Two rooms, two different bathrooms, and during the stay, the owner of the lodge – an NPC – said that they could have the food in the lodge.(1) Compared to one of those with the INN sign, it was definitely better.

"So, what we found out is that shunpo works from time to time." Rukia check on the list she made by using a function she found on the control panel.

"Shikai and bankai are probably impossible to use in this game, because we can't use our zanpakuto here; kido is dangerous to test in here, so I guess the only option we have here is jinzen." Rukia said, scrolling down the list. She switched to panel to inventory and pulled out Wind Floret – the weapon shop was closed when they found in this town because the hunted around a bit before came in the town. They were both level 3 now.

It was bit harder to do it, but Ichigo did it.

He looked at the sideway skyscrapers that would definitely not appear in just a game. In addition to that, there were two familiar silhouette in distance. On his flagpole, the Quincy part of his zanpakuto – or as he like to call him, Zangetsu ossan – and the hollow part of his zanpakuto – which he started to call Zangetsu shiro – was just a few meters from him. It was Shiro who noticed Ichigo first.

"Oi, king! What's the matter? It was raining like a freaking squall or something!" As usual, Shiro yelled to him with his usual manner.

"Ah, sorry. I was shocked by the new rule of the game that the director made." Ichigo replied. It seemed like Zangetsus know what was happening in the game.

"Ichigo." Ossan called him. He startled a bit. Ichigo was trying to leave before Shiro ask for a duel.

"Do you know that the zanpakutoes can…..

* * *

Isshin looked down on his son. The twins were finally asleep, and he was only one awake in the house.

'Isshin, come here quick!' Suddenly his zanpakuto interrupted him. Even though Engetsu had character like this all the time, it was actually the first time he ordered Isshin to do something. With a couple of questions in his mind, he went into his inner world.

Engetsu was concentrating in something, with his eyes closed.

"Hey, Engetsu. Why did you call me?" Isshin asked. Engetsu's only reply was silence. After a bit, Engetsu opened his eyes.

"What was it?" Isshin asked, annoyed. His zanpakuto was doing things he rarely did…

"It's about Ichigo." Engetsu answered. "He's trying to contact us by his zanpakuto."

* * *

(1) J-League is Japan's national soccer league.

* * *

Hey, unfinished Phantom here.

I was going to make only Jinzen possible in the game, but I decided to make that some kido or shunpo is available by low chance. It was from the reader. Thank you.

And, some said I should keep Rukia out of the game. Well, she will be the thing that will hold Ichigo in the game. The SAO is easy to play if you have determination that would even ignore your death, and it seemed like Ichigo will play the game if he's on his own. But if he have to take care of someone, he can't just fight like that. In the manga, Ishida or Chad didn't seemed like he will play something like this, and neither was Orihime. I choosed Rukia because she looked like a type who want to try something she thinks interesting.

More reviews will make the new chapters upload faster!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or SAO

**The Death Game**

* * *

By jinzen and zanpakuto communication, Ichigo learned quite a few things during the first month. He did jinzan almost every time he was out of battle. After one month, Ichigo achieved the level 14, which was unusual. Most of the people in the front line were leveled between 12 to 13. Rukia's level was 13, as she played almost same as Ichigo. They tried to use some kido, but the result was same as shunpo. It was powerful skill to use in SAO, where there was no magic. It was too dangerous to depend on, so they decided not to use it.

And with that, a month passed.

"First floor boss target meeting?" Rukia asked. It was something she heard from other players, but she didn't expected Ichigo would recommend something like this.

"Yeah, the people are making guilds to beat the boss. Already one month passed, and the only thing we know is that no one beat the boss of first floor. They are collecting party members to beat the boss." Ichigo said. "It start at four, at the main square. Do you want to go?"

"Yeah, It will be no help if we stayed at back." Rukia said.

* * *

"Many...? This number of people?"

"Yes. That is... they gathered here for the first challenge against this floor's boss monster, right? Even though the chance of complete annihilation exists..."

"...I see."

"Long time no see, Kirito." Ichigo inturupted to the couple who just came.

"Oh, Hey Mamoru. Are you planning to be on the raiding party?"

"As you can see. Would you mind introducing your partner?" Rukia interrupted.

"She's not my partner, I just met her in the dungeon. She fainted inside the dungeon, and there's no one beside me." Kirito explained. "Her Linear attack interested me." He added.

* * *

"O—K! Now then, it's five minutes late, but let's start! Everyone, a bit more to the front... there, come three steps closer!" A call ended their conversations.

The owner of the truly majestic voice was a tall, one-handed sword user with shiny metallic armor covering each of his body parts. With a running start, he jumped onto the plaza fountain's edge. Jumping that high with his armor, he must have possessed very high Strength and Dexterity.

When they saw the back-turned swordsman, several people of the forty made a commotion.

He looked more like a self-designed character rather than his real look. His hair was blue – since the shops didn't sell dying items, he must have played it to get the dye.

"Today, thank you for heeding my summons! Some people here know me, but I will again introduce myself! I am «Diabel», and my class is «Knight»!"

With that, the people around the fountain burst out with whistles and applause, mixed with various calls like 'You meant «Hero» right!' flew through the air.

For SAO, the job class did not exist in the system. Each player was given a number of «Skill Slots», and could freely select from different skills and set them for training. For example, people with manufacturing or trade type skills in their main slot could be called a «Smith», «Seamstress», «Cook», or other such job titles.

"Egoistical fool." Ichigo muttered under his breath. People who heard him – Rukia, Kirito, and his company – try not to make sound.

"But, no matter what kind of class a person calls himself, it is his own freedom."

Saying this, the man named Diabel was wearing bronze armor on his chest, shoulders, arms and shins, with a large longsword on his waist to the left, and a kite shield on his back. You could say that was the armament befitting Knight.

"Well then, as for the reason I gathered you top players who are active at the very front lines, I don't think I need to say it, but, today, my party found the stairs leading to the top-most floor of that tower. That is, tomorrow —or, at the latest, the day after tomorrow— we will reach it: the first floor's... boss room!"

"So it was 20th floor? We were almost there." Ichigo muttered. Kirito's companion looked to him with a questioning look.

"We could find it if we didn't came down for the meeting." He explained.

"One month. Coming this far took one month... Even so, we have to set an example. Kill the boss, and reach the 2nd floor! We have to show that this death game can be cleared to everyone waiting at the Starting City. That is the obligation of us top players here! Isn't that right, everyone!"

Again, cheers. This time, there were people clapping who were not Diabel's friends. Actually, what was being said was honorable and nothing was hidden. No, it would be strange to even wonder about anything hidden in those words. Right now, I should be like the once-scattered front lines players and buy the Knight's story, and applaud—

"Wait a minute, Knight-san."

At that moment, a low voice flowed out.

The cheering immediately stopped, and the front of the crowd split into two. At the center of the emptied space was a somewhat short and stockily built man. From my position, I could only make out a rather large one-handed sword on his back, and some kind of pointed, cactus-styled brown hair.

Taking one step forward, the cactus head growled in a deep, gravelly voice that was the opposite of Diabel's beautiful voice.

"Before that, there is one thing that must be cleared up; otherwise I cannot join you."

Diabel's eyes narrowed for an instant, but soon returned to full smiles and said while beckoning.

"Opinions are certainly very welcome. But, if you are going to speak, you should tell us your name."

"...Hum."

Cactus head gave a huge snort, then stepped forward. When he reached the fountain, he turned around to face Ichigo and Kirito's party.

"I am «Kibaou»."

* * *

The cactus head swordsman who introduced himself with a somewhat daring character name looked at all the players in the plaza with beady but sharp and bright eyes.

His sweeping look stopped for just an instant on Kirito. He did look on Ichigo, but right through passed.

"In this group, about 5 or 10 people need to apologize."

"Apologize? To whom?"

The knight that was still standing behind him on the fountain edge, Diabel, raised both hands in question. Without looking at him, Kibaou spat out in hatred.

"Ha, isn't it obvious. To the 2000 now dead people. Those guys had a monopoly on everything, and so 2000 people died in one month! Isn't that right?!"

At that moment, the low buzzing in the forty people audience was cut short; all went silent. What Kibaou insinuated, everyone finally understood. Myself included, of course.

In the oppressive silence, only the evening BGM from the NPC orchestra played quietly. No one spoke. If anything was said, then you might suddenly be labeled as one of «those guys» —that was the likely fear on everyone's mind. No, more than likely.

"—Kibaou-san. Your «those guys» are... the original beta testers, right?"

Diabel with his arms crossed, showed the most stern look up till now as he asked for confirmation.

"Obviously."

With the thick metal pieces of his scale mail clinking over the leather he wore, Kibaou took a glance at the knight behind him and continued.

"Those beta testers, on the day this shitty game started, dashed from the Starting City and disappeared. They left behind over 9000 people who didn't know left from right. They monopolized good hunting grounds and profitable quests, got stronger without a care for those behind. ...There should be some in this group, hiding their beta status, some sly people thinking of joining the boss fight. I want them to kneel down once, to the party members their lives depend on. That's what I want to say!"

He snapped his teeth. It was clearly to make the beta testers angry. Kirito was about to shout something, but Ichigo stopped him.

The SAO closed beta conducted over summer vacation accepted only 1000 people. Every participant was later given the privilege to buy the official release first, but since the launch date was near examination week, my guess was that not all 1000 testers moved to the official service. Probably about 700 or 800 people total did—that, was the number of original beta testers at the start of the game.

However, finding out «Who is an original beta tester» was not so simple. If a player's colored cursor had a [β] mark, then of course it would be easy —having said that, it could be called fortunate that such a mark did not exist. As for our avatar's appearance, the GM Kayaba Akihiko had reset everyone's appearance to be the same as in reality. The only factor one could go by was the name, but it's probable that many were changed from the beta to the official release.

"May I speak?"

At that time, a rich and forceful baritone resounded in the evening plaza. Everyone turned to look at him.

Huge. His height probably was easily over 180cm. An avatar's size was said not to have any effect on his stats, but the two-handed battle-axe slung over his back certainly appeared lightweight to him. His appearance, too, was impressive and did not lose to his weapon. A completely bald head, and chocolate-colored skin. However, the chiseled face fit so well you might think it was customized. Not Japanese... instead of saying that, maybe he wasn't even human.

The muscular giant moved forward to the fountain, lightly bowed to the other players, and then turned to the dramatically different statured Kibaou.

"My name is Agil. Kibaou-san, what you mean to say is that many beginners died because original beta testers did not take care of them, and you wish for them to accept that responsibility and apologize, isn't that correct?"

"Th...That's right." Kibaou, momentarily overwhelmed, took a step back, but soon returned forward. With his shiny, small eyes glaring at the axe user called Agil, he shouted.

"If they had not left us behind, 2000 people would not have died! However, they were not just any 2000 people, most of them were top ranks or veterans from other MMO's! If those shitty testers had properly shared information, items and money, then there would have been 10 times the people here... no, by now we would have broken through the 2nd or 3rd floor!"

"That's what you say, Kibaou-san. I don't know about the money and items, but I believe you mentioned information?"

Agil the axe warrior again responded in a rich baritone. From the huge pouch on his muscled, leather armor-covered waist, he took out a simple sheepskin-bound booklet. The cover had round ears and  
three whiskers stylized with a «Rat Mark».

"This guidebook, you got it too right. Freely distributed from the item shops in Horunka and Medai."

"...Fr-Freely distributed?" "I thought it was 500 cols!" Kirito and Ichigo said at the same time. Fortunately, only the Rukia and Kirito's company heard it.

"...I got it too." The Company said. "I got one during shopping for food, too." Rukia added.

"There's a commission to the item shop owner, but since the price is 0 col, everyone got it. It soon came in handy."

"Wh...What's going on..."

"So what?" Kibaou's voice interrupted their conversation.

"This guide, whenever I reach a new village or town, is always found in the item shop. It's the same for you right. The information comes too soon, don't you think?"

"So what if it's too soon!?"

"The ones who provided the information on monsters and map data in this, cannot be anyone other than the original beta testers."

All the players went abuzz. Kibaou closed his mouth sharply, and the knight Diabel behind him nodded in an 'I see' way.

Once all eyes were again directed on Agil, who spoke with his far-carrying baritone.

"You see, there is information. And even still, many players died. That reason is _because_ they were veteran MMO players, I think. They found SAO similar to other titles, but missed a key difference. However, now is not the time to hunt down who is responsible for those casualties. Whether we become a casualty or not, and how that influences this meeting, is what I think."

* * *

The two-handed axe user Agil possessed a very imposing countenance, and his argument was also extremely straightforward, so that Kibaou could only stand in the shadows in silence. If anyone else other than Agil claimed the same thing, then Kibaou would probably counter with 'Saying that means you are an original beta tester', I think. But, as it was now, all he could do was glare at the giant with hatred.

Behind the two silently confronting each other, Diabel, still standing on the fountain's edge, his long hair dyed purple from the evening sun, waved as he nodded once more.

"Kibaou-san, I can understand your point. I, too, went into unknown territories, and finally arrived here after many near deaths. But, as this Agil-san said, isn't it now time to look forward? Even original beta testers... no, especially original testers, we need their fighting strength for this boss strategy. If we removed them, and that resulted in the attack failing, what would be the point?"

Diabel was good at this - Ichigo can't help but agree.

"Everyone, you each have your own preferences, but right now, I would like for you to cooperate to break through the first floor. If there are people who will not fight alongside original testers under any circumstance, then it is unfortunate, but you are free to leave. For a boss fight, teamwork is essential."

The knight's gaze swept across everyone, and finally stopped at Kibaou. The cactus head swordsman made a huge snort then spat out these words.

"...Fine, I will listen to you for now. But I want it to be clear, black and white, only up until the boss fight is finished."

With his scale mail clinking, Kibaou retreated from the front of the group. The axe user Agil, too, spread his arms, showing that he had nothing more to say and returned to his previous place.

In the end, that was the highlight of this first meeting.

* * *

"Hey, Mamoru." Kirita said to Ichigo as they were about to be departed.

"Did you think you saw that Diabel guy before?" Ichigo thought before answering

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

Kirito hesitate a bit before saying what he thought. "Well, maybe, I thought that he might be a beta. It's only my opinion though."

"If it's right, it can be dangerous situation for him." Ichigo said what he thought.

"By the way, what's your companion's name?" Rukia inturrupted. "You just made a party with her, right?"

"Her name's Asuna." He answered. "It seemed like her first time playing an online game, so there's possibility of it being her real name."

"Well, it's not a bad name." Ichigo said. Rukia yawned at the moment.

"Well, it's about time to go. See ya later!"

"Bye."

* * *

The knight Diabel's leadership, not just with speech, was also pretty good in the finer details, as well.

He checked over the seven 6-person parties, and with the smallest number of switches, formed seven specialized parties. Two heavy armor Tank parties. Three high movement, high attack Assault parties. Two long weapons Support parties.

The two Tank parties would maintain and exchange the burden of being targeted by the boss. Two Assault parties would concentrate on the boss, while the third one would kill the sentinels first. The support parties, mostly using long weapons, would primarily use the Delay skill, to interrupt either the boss's or guards' attacks when possible.

"You four, make sure none of the Kobold Guards remain, and please support Group E."

"Understood. That's an important role, leave it to us."

"Yes, I am counting on you."

With a white flash of his front teeth, the knight returned to the fountain.

"As if." Rukia said with sarcasm. The Company – Asuna – agreed.

"...What important duty. It would end up without a single attack on the boss."

"We can't do anything about it, we only have two people. There's not enough time for Switch and Pot rotation."

"...Switch? Pot...?" Asuna and Rukia both looked as if they were confused.

"After. It's long." Ichigo said.

* * *

The second boss strategy meeting was over after a short discussion between the group leaders. Each group was assigned a letter from A through G, and how the boss's col and item drops would be shared was established. The giant axe user Agil was Tank Group B leader, and Kibaou who had a burning enmity for original beta testers was Assault Group E leader. Since Group E was to kill the Kobold Guards, the remaining four, would be assisting Kibaou.

For distribution of drops, 'Col will be automatically divided evenly between the 46 raid members while each item will belong to the person who receives it' was the kind of simple rule to be employed. In recent MMO's, normally a system exists where a person who wants an item will perform a dice roll for it, but somehow, SAO used the previous era's method, as in dropping the item to a random player's storage, without anyone else knowing, either. Thus, if a «Boss-dropped item must be dice rolled» kind of rule were set, then the person with the actual item must announce it.

Diabel, probably to prevent this kind of development, used the «Drop to person» rule. What a perceptive knight.

At 5:30pm in the afternoon, similar messages to yesterday completed the meeting 'Let's work hard!' and 'Yea—!', then the groups split into threes and fives, disappearing inside bars and restaurants. Kirito and Ichigo spilt up the party for a bit.

"So, tomorrow will be the last big battle on First floor, huh?" Rukia said.

"Seems like it. I wish that it will end without casualties."

"I hope so."

* * *

"You're late." Ichigo said to Kirito/Asuna party.

"Well, sorry," Asuna replied sharply.

"Hey." A gruff voice emanated from behind. Standing there, was a player with pointed, short brown hair styled somewhat like a cactus – Kibaou.

"Listen here, today you should stay in the back. You guys are only here as support."

"..."

"Listen up! You guys should only take on the small fry kobold mobs that slip past my party as your enemy." Kibaou spat out some more of his virtual spit onto the ground for emphasis, before turning around and leaving.

"He's the type who will surely killed by his comrades in a real war." Ichigo muttered. "He probably never been to a real-" Rukia nudged Ichigo with her elbow.

"Real what?" Asuna asked them. "Uh, I'm sure he meant nothing." Rukia covered for him.

"...Eeh...?" Kirito made a sound while he was thinking. Ichigo looked at him questioning, but someone said as he was going to ask him.

"Everyone, although it may be sudden ―― Thank you all, I am really grateful that all forty-four party members have gathered, without a single person missing."

After talking, a loud cheer of *OH* shook up the entire square. It was followed by a cascade of applause.

After smiling at everyone, the knight pumped his right fist, and continued shouting loudly,

"Now, I want to mention I was actually thinking of aborting this mission if a single person didn't show up! But... worry of this kind is an insult to everyone. I'm very happy that... the best raid party... well, even if the number of people isn't enough!"

A few people laughed and whistled, and some people pumped their right hands mimicking him.

"Everyone... What I want to say now is this!"

His right hand moved to his left hip, and he drew his silvery sword with a ringing peal――

"...Let's win!"

A loud cry rang out.

* * *

Bringing up the rear was Asuna, who walked alongside the swordsman and, forgetting all about last night's incident, began to talk.

"Hey... You... before you came to this, errr... MMO game? That's what they're called, right? Did you play any others?."

"Emm... ah, yes. And, yes I did." Kirito, being a big game otaku, said with sureness.

"Not me. I didn't – I played this because I won this game." Ichigo said.

"In other games, are there normally moments with this kind of feeling? How should I put it... like going on a field trip..."

"...Ha ha, a field trip would be nice"

Giving a short laugh, the swordsman then shrugged.

"Unfortunately, the other games that I played didn't have this kind of mood. After all, those are games that don't use the FullDive technology, so it's necessary to use the mouse and keyboard to control the avatar's movements. Therefore, there's not much time to dedicate to the chat window."

"...Ah, I see..."

"Well, there are other games that include voice chat, but I haven't managed to play them yet."

"Bad luck"

"...Now it's the real deal, I wonder what they are feeling?"

"Eh? Re-real deal?"

The swordsman gave her a questioning look, so Asuna tried to describe the image in her mind.

"So... in a fantasy world of this kind... adventuring as part of a group of swordsmen and magicians, on our way to fight a terrible boss monster. During the journey, what do you speak about?... or would you walk along silently? That kind of subject."

"..."

The swordsman remained oddly silent, and when she glanced at his expression, Asuna felt conscious that she had asked a childish question. Just as she reflexively turned away, and was about to say "I guess it doesn't matter,"

"It was nothi – hup!"

Rukia pulled Ichigo from them.

"Are you crazy? You can't tell anybody about the Winter War! You know you're rusty about this, right? You didn't did something like this in the real world!" Rukia whispered furiously. "What did you thought?"

"I…I don't know." Ichigo replied. "It was like it just came out from my mind."

"Well, don't make same mistake at upper floors."

* * *

12:30, at the top floor. So far, there were no deaths.

After all, a near forty-eight person «Full Raid» party marched, and for the majority of those here, this was their first time. In this world, «First» was an action that held the risk of accident and was dangerous, without exception.

In fact, there were three situations which were very frightening. The people wielding long weapons such as the «Spear» and «Halberd», mostly in the Groups F and G, were ambushed by the melee-type Kobolds along the road. In SAO, melee weapons will not harm players if they are swung by accident (of course, this is not equal to a criminal act), and sword skills that come into contact with an obstacle are cut short. Ranged weapons were already at high risk from this, and the melee ambush made the situation even worse.

In such a situation, the knight Diabel showed his ability to command precisely. As a leader of the forces, he made bold decisions, like staying to fight while ordering others to retreat, using heavy a amount of sword skills to knock back monsters, and switching between long and melee weapon-equipped members. These decisions could only be made if he was familiar with being a leader.

Not even the knight dared to shout "Let's win!" in this place. This was because humanoid monsters would react to loud noises here.

Instead, Diabel lifted his silver long-sword up high, and gave a large nod. The forty-three raid members also raised their weapons and nodded in reply.

His long green hair fluttered as he turned around; the knight placed his left hand in the center of the large doors――

"――――Let's go!"

With a short cry, he pushed the doors open with all his might.

* * *

The room was vast. The rectangular room had a width from the left to the right wall of about twenty meters, and there was a distance of about one hundred meters from the entrance to the back. The size of the floor was roughly the same as the other 20 floors, and this room was the last one to be mapped. Therefore, its area could be estimated from the blank area on the map. However, seeing it with their own eyes made it feel a lot larger than it actually was.

This room was spacious in order to contain the gigantic monsters here.

In Aincrad's boss room, the doors would not close even during battle against the boss. Therefore, even if the events took a turn for the worse and we were in danger of being annihilated, we had the option to retreat. However, if they turned and fled and the enemy's long ranged sword skill hit us, it might slow down, «delay», or prevent from moving, «stun». So, we would have to retreat while facing the boss. In that situation, the hundred meters needed to escape would feel infinitely long and could lead to a critical situation. Instantaneous teleportation was possible using a «Teleport Crystal»; however, it was expensive and obtainable only from the higher floors, which would make retreating from bosses on higher floors easier, but because it was so expensive, the player could be left with a near-empty wallet after such a retreat.

The boss room sank into almost complete darkness. On the walls to the left and right of the room, *ping* *ping*, from the front of the room towards the back, «torches» were lit one by one. The crude torches noisily blazing to life.

Adorning the area, large and small skulls were scattered around. In the deepest part of the room stood a huge throne, upon which a rough silhouette of something large was seated.

The knight, Diabel, raised his long sword, and swung it down in front of him...

At his signal, the forty-six members of the boss monster hunting forces raised a battle cry as they rushed into the room like an avalanche.

* * *

The front row charged in first, led by Group A's leader equipped with an iron heater shield, and with his «Hammer» lifted up high. They were followed by Group B diagonally to their left, led by the Axe warrior Agil, and to their right, Diabel and his five friends made up Group C. Group D was led by a tall man wielding a Two-handed Long Sword, then behind these three groups were Group E, led by Kibaou, with the «Polearm» equipped Group F and Group G, running alongside them.

And still further behind them, were four extra people—

When the distance between Group A and the throne was about 20 meters, the gigantic silhouette which had not initially moved suddenly jumped fiercely into the air, somersaulting once before landing on the ground, causing the earth to rumble. After that, it opened its wolf-like jaws, and howled.

"Gurururaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

The demi-human King, «Illfang the Kobold Lord», looked exactly as I remembered. Its muscular body was over two meters tall, and covered in blue-gray fur. Its bloodthirsty eyes flashed a golden red. Its right hand wielded an axe made of bone, while its left had a Leather Buckler equipped. Behind its waist, a meter and a half long «Talwar» protruded.

The Kobold Lord raised the Bone Axe in its right hand up high, and forcefully struck at Group A's leader. The heater shield received the blow, causing a dazzling light effect and a loud sound to reverberate throughout the hall.

As if that sound were a cue, from various alcoves high up on the side walls, three heavily armed monsters jumped down. These were the guards, «Ruin Kobold Sentinel». Group E led by Kibaou, and the support Group G, quickly moved towards the three, locking onto their target. Asuna and I glanced at each other and dashed to the nearest Sentinel.

Thus, on the fourth of December at 2.40p.m, the first boss battle finally began.

«Illfang»'s HP gauge had four bars. During the first three bars, it would hold its Bone Axe in its right hand and its Leather Buckler in its left, but on the fourth, it would discard them and remove the Talwar from its waist. Its attack patterns would completely alter -as Argo's strategy guide had described. Then, after changing its weapons from the Bone Axe to the Talwar, our sword skills and tactics would have to change accordingly, just as they had discussed in the meeting the day before.

* * *

The battle between the Kobold king with its guards and the forty-six players moved faster than anyone thought.

Diabel and the rest of Group C had reduced the first HP gauge, Group D had removed the second layer, and now Group F and G had reduced its third layer by half. Until this point, Group A and B, the «Tank» teams, had their HP in the yellow «Half» region, but never entered the dangerous red region. There were also a few guards, which were left to Group E and the two of us to handle, we had performed so well that sometime in the midst of battle, Group G moved to support the main battlefield.

What was truly impressive was the intense fighting from the rapier user Asuna, and the «Linear» that had amazed even Kirito, who was a beta tester.

"I know what you're up to. Feels gooood."

"...What did you say?"

Kibaou's comment confused Kirito, but he was not the only one who was confused by his comment.

"Don't pretend. I already know your motivations for slipping into this boss raid."

"My... motivations? Aside from beating the boss, is there anything else?"

"What, I can be direct, right? I know exactly what you're aiming for!"

This conversation, seemed to be a lot of guesswork on his part. I was so frustrated I ground my teeth, before Kibaou finally said what he wanted to say...

"I've heard about you. In the past, you did a dishonourable act such as LA the boss. "

"Wha..."

Kirito stopped for a moment.

"...Kibaou. That guy who talked to you, how did he manage to gain information on me being a beta tester?"

"Straight to the point. He used ridiculously large amounts of money and bought the information from «the Rat». I joined the team to keep the hyena in check."

_――――Liar. Argo, even if she would sell information on herself, would never sell information on other beta testers._

Ichigo and Kirito both thounght about the same thing.

It looks like the third HP gauge was removed by the poleaxe weapons of Group F and G before they retreated. Instead of waiting for their full recovery, Group C rushed in to press the attack. The party leader was the commander of the raid itself, the blue haired knight Diabel. Even in the dim light of the dungeon, his blue hair glittered brilliantly.

"Uguruooooooooooooo――――!"

«Illfang the Kobold Lord» gave out a loud roar. At the same time, the final wave of three «Ruin Kobold Sentinel» jumped out of their holes in the walls.

"….More small fry Kob, this time I won't let even one go. I won't let you LA them."

His voice dripping with hatred, Kibaou returned to the midst of Group E.

"...What did you talk about?"

"No... ―― first, let's defeat our opponents."

"...Yes."

"If what he said is right, why didn't he noticed you?"Rukia asked to Ichigo.

"Please don't ask." He moaned. During the beta test, he accidentally went into an tatto shop – and accidentally got one – like the one Renji had.

At that moment――

Suddenly, Ichigo felt something, so he quickly gazed at the main battlefield.

The Kobold king, with the bone axe in its right hand and the leather shield in its left, threw both down onto the ground simultaneously, gave another roar, brought its hand to the back of its waist, grasped the rag bound handle and pulled out the «Talwar». From here on, it would only use the sword skills from the curved blade category, going into a berserk rampage, becoming terribly wild, but dealing with it is now easier than before. It used a long-ranged longitudinal cut. As long as you grasped the timing of the skill when it was launched, even if you're near the boss you could avoid the edge of the weapon.

Under Diabel's command, the six people that formed Group C surrounded the boss. This was a formation that was not used while the boss still wielded the bone axe.

"As if he know what attack boss will take…" Mamoru suddenly said. Kirito noticed this as soon as his party member said this.

"You're right – he used curved blade in beta, but this time, it's …"

The weapon Cobolt king was using, was a katana.

"――It's coming!" Asuna yelled, waking up Kirito from his mind.

"Switch!" Ichigo yelled, seeing Kirito was confused by whatever he was thinking.

"A... AA...!" Kirito moaned, as if he noticed something. Ichigo noticed it at same time, because it was something familiar.

The Kobold king's huge body shook the floor, as it jumped up high. It turned its body in mid-air, while accumulating power to its weapon. As it fell down, it used the accumulated power, releasing a crimson beam of light.

Plane of attack――horizontal. Angle of attack――three hundred and sixty degrees.

Sword skill for katanas, the heavy ranged attack "whirling wheel" «Tsumujiguruma».

Six vivid red light effects appeared, looking like pillars of blood.

The HP gauge that was displayed to the left in our field of vision showing Group C's average HP immediately dropped below fifty percent and into the yellow zone. Although you could expand the gauge with your fingertips in order to see the six individual HP gauges of each player, at the moment there was no point in doing it. Everyone in Group C obviously received equal amounts of damage.

It was a ranged attack with tremendous power and enough to take out more than half of the full HP, but that was not all. Yellow lights rotated around the heads of the six people that had collapsed on the floor, indicating that they were unable to move for a period time ―― this was the stun effect.

Of the large variety of bad status in SAO, being stunned wasn't as scary as paralysis or blindness, as the effect lasted at most ten seconds. However, once the effect started, there was no way to recover from it. Therefore, if the front members were stunned, their friends must save them by diving in front without waiting for the switch, and must become the target to draw enemy fire ―― however.

Not a single person moved to help. Despite carefully planning for the fight during the meeting, followed by the march forward in a mood under the impression of an easy victory, the person everyone relied on, their leader Diabel, had been struck down in a single blow. For these reasons, aside from Group C, everyone was bound to the spot rigidly. After the strained silence, the Kobold Lord recovered from the long delay caused by using its skill.

"Charge..."

At the same time, in the front lines, the two handed axe user Agil and several of his subordinates moved in to support the others.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

"Uguruo!"

The demi human roared, and the katana―― no, the nodachi in both its hands was lifted off the cut floor and raised up high. Sword skill _Floating Boat_ «Ukifune». It was aimed for the Knight that had fallen right in front of it, Diabel. As if pulled by a red arc of light, the knight in silver armor was sent flying high up into the air. The damage wasn't much. However, the Kobold Lord's movement didn't stop there.

Using its large wolf-like mouth, it grinned and laughed ferociously.

The nodachi was once again wrapped in a red light effect. «Ukifune» was merely the start of the combo. If you were hit by this while in the air, it was useless to struggle, you could only defend by curling up. However, it was impossible for a person who was dealing with this situation for the first time.

While in the sky, Diabel brandished his sword, trying to pull off a sword skill to counterattack. However, because he was unstable, the system could not determine the starting motion for the skill. The nodachi directly hit the front of the knight who waved his sword uselessly.

At a speed which could not be seen the combination attack continued with a further strike followed by a thrust. A three hit strike, this skill's name is _Scarlet Fan_, «Hiōgi».

The knight's body was covered in three continuous damage effect, the bright colours and intense sounds showed that all the attacks were critical hits. His _virtual body_ «Avatar» was blasted twenty meters away, over the heads of the raid members, and ended up near the Sentinel which was my opponent. He fell almost as if piercing the ground. His HP gauge, which was already red, began to reduce further.

The Knight – Diabel' HP was all gone. Kirito ran to him, a potion in one of his hand.

"...Please, Kirito-san. The boss, defea―"

Before his sentence ended――

The commander of the Aincrad Boss Raid Forces, the Knight Diabel, turned into blue shards of glass which shattered and scattered.

* * *

Uwaaaaa, this kind of cry ―― this scream filled the Boss room.

Nearly all the raid members clutched and hung on to their weapons, with their wide eyes open. But no one moved. The leader being first to fall, to die, was an unpleasant situation no one had prepared for, so no one knew the next course of action.

In normal circumstances, «Boss uses weapons and skills different to information previously given» and «Loss of leader», suffering from two disasters, everyone should immediately retreat out of the boss's room. However, if our backs were exposed to Illfang while we retreated, he could easily use his long ranged Katana Skill. The ten people furthest to the back, in the worst case, would end up stunned and deprived of all HP by a sequence of attacks like Diabel. That is to say, even as we retreat we must defend our bodies, but our opponent was difficult as he had unknown skills. Compared to the time taken to dash out of the room, the same degree of HP decrease leading to deaths could be expected.

Above it all, with too many deaths ―― including the leader ―― and with the boss strategy that was issued failing, it would be difficult to assemble another force to raid the boss again. In other words, all attempts to clear the death game SAO would lead to failure. The eight thousand survivors, would not be warriors of the virtual world, but prisoners trapped in the first floor until there is an some kind of «end»...

"...Why... Why... Diabel-han, the leader, why was he first..." Kibaou almost wimpered. Kirito grabbed his throat.

"Is this the time to be discouraged?!"

With a low cry, Kibaou's small eyes were instantly filled with a familiar hostility.

"...What... What did you say?"

"You're the Group E leader, if you are a coward, your companions will die! Listen here, additional Sentinels may still spawn... no, they will definitely spawn. Handling them is your responsibility!"

"...then, what do you want to do. Are you planning on escaping alone?"

"How is that possible. Of course I..." Kirito stopped for a dramatic effect.

"――Will get the LA on the boss!"

* * *

Kirito was not the only one who wanted to get the LA.

Ichigo was eyeing the King's nodachi. In the real world, before he know that 'Zangetsu" he knew was not the real zanpakuto of his, the bankai of his – Tensa Zangetsu – took the form of a nodachi. If he get LA, there's a chance he will get the weapon of the boss.

"Let's go!" He yelled, to encourage the players. He saw Kirito and Asuna exchange some words, but couldn't hear what they said.

"Everyone, back ten steps towards the exit! As long as the boss is not surrounded, it will not use its ranged attacks." Kirito yelled as loud as he could.

"Ru-Hikari, remember the time you're trapped in gigai?" Ichigo asked to his partner. "Same tactics?" She said, seeing what he implied.

"Yeah!" He yelled as he got closer to the boss.

At the same time, the boss was poised with his Nodachi shining with a green glow, and slashed at a speed which could not be seen. Straight long ranged move, _Whirlwind_ «Tsujikaze». Because it was an Iai type move, it would be impossible to keep up with it after seeing it launched.

"U... ooo!"

Ichigo blocked the sword moving by one of his sword skill. Rukia ran and used another motion close to sword skill – but not really. It was something she learned during Zanjutsu class in Shin'o.

"Haaaaa!" The attack was effective. Though it wasn't a real sword skill, it worked as if it was one.

Another one. Troopers required three, whereas Sentinels required four strikes. To fully deplete the fourth gauge, he have no clue how many strikes would be required. A big advantage of fighting the boss as a team was due to its massive bulk, allowing multiple players to hit it at the same time, if it were possible Ichigo would have preferred other players as attackers by his side. But all the other groups from A to G had drawn back as their HP were greatly reduced.

"Kirito, Hikari, Can you still fight?" Ichigo asked unusually calm. "What do you think? You idiot. I thought you know me better than that." Rukia answered sarcaristically. "I think I can." Was Kirito's reply.

"...The next one, is coming!" Ichigo yelled, and ran for the boss.

* * *

The skills were same from beta testing.

True, there was no monster who used katana until 10th floor, but the skills were the same. It gave Ichigo and Rukia unexpected help.

"Cra...!"

Kirito was successful at canceling the boss's attack so far, but he missed when the boss tried a different type of skill. Ichigo noticed it was a move that included some of the feint motion - «Gengetsu».

"You know, using the skill with the name that have 'moon' only motivates me!"

Ichigo exclaimed to no one in particular. Kirito was curious about the reason, but he put on back.

The moment Rukia prepared for the next move, the boss used another move - _Scarlet Fan_ «Hiōgi»…

"Nu…oooo!"

A deep war cry was let out just as its blade was on the verge of hitting her.

As the blade grazed just the top her head, a huge weapon launched a skill while releasing a green light. The two-handed axe sword skill «Whirlwind»—

The Nodachi had discharged first, but the two handed axe that spun like a whirlwind intercepted it. It created an impact so great that the entire boss room trembled, and Illfang was knocked back quite a distance. However, the attacker had braced both his feet wrapped in leather sandals, so he only slid back a meter or so.

The one who had entered the fray was Group B's brown skinned and gigantic leader, Agil.

"We'll support you. There has to be Tanks along with damage dealers, that will not change."

"…Sorry, I leave it to you." Ichigo muttered.

"If the boss is surrounded, it will attack back with an omni-directional attack! I will be calling out the trajectory of the attacks, so the guys in front, deal with them! Even if you can't repel it by force with a sword skill, you can avoid a large amount of damage just by blocking it properly with a shield or a weapon!" Kirito yelled to inform the other player that may not have noticed this.

"Ou!"

The boss's weapon had changed, and sure enough, along with it, it seemed that the number of «Ruin Kobold Sentinels» that were spawned had also increased. Kibaou's Group E and the lightly injured pole-arm equipped Group G were taking on all four of the heavily armored guards at the same time. Although they had not taken much damage so far, as long as Illfang remained alive, four Sentinels would probably keep jumping out of the wall alcoves on a regular basis. They would eventually reach their limits with just two parties.

Also, between the front and rear lines, the injured raid members, including the survivors of Group C, were trying to recover their HP.

However, recovery potions in this game were really frustrating items, having only a «Heal Over Time» effect…in other words, drinking the bottle would not instantly recover the gauge, but instead make it gradually increase in small increments, and moreover, after drinking the potion there was a cool-down period indicated by a «Cooling» icon displayed at the bottom of the vision, which rendered drinking the next bottle useless until it disappeared. On top of that, the inferior-quality potions sold at the first floor NPC shops had a sorrowfully terrible flavour.

Putting the taste aside, because of the set cool-down period, healing from heavy injuries took up a lot of time. Therefore, the normal theory was that, when someone received damage worthy of a potion, they would switch with their partner and fall back to the rear (that was, in other words, POT rotation), but as the number of those who received unexpectedly heavy wounds multiplied, it became easy for the rotation to break down. On higher floors, the dreamlike item which could instantly recover the gauge, «Healing Crystal», could be obtained, so such recovery is possible if one is not bothered with the cost, but it would be asking too much to have one on hand now.

Therefore, how long Agil and the six people under him who were currently replacing me were able to maintain their HP gauges against the boss's fierce attacks would decide the flow of the battle. Kirito, who just drank a potion, helped them with the direction the boss was attacking.

Agil's team of six were not pressured into desperately countering from following my instructions, but instead they used their shields and large weapons to guard themselves. Since they were players with «tank builds», they had high defence and HP, but even so receiving zero damage from the sword skills the boss launched was impossible. A loud sound effect would occur, and each time, their gauges would gradually reduce.

Among that group was a party who lightly danced. Asuna, Hikari. Without turning her back in front of the boss, she never wasted any chance to pierce its body with «Linear» whenever Illfang was in a delay period, even for a moment. Of course, after repeated strikes the «Hate» value would become focused on Asuna, but the six tanks used appropriate skills such as «Howl» to redirect the target's Hate to themselves. Hikari used not only the sword skills, but the skills she mastered on the real life – it made as if she danced. With speed and agility, the girl was dancing in a sense.

This dangerous battle, which could collapse in an instant if even one of the elements here failed, actually managed to continue for close to five minutes.

Soon enough, the boss's HP finally went below thirty percent, and the final gauge became suffused red.

At that instant, perhaps letting down his guard for a moment, one of the players acting as a tank tripped over. Stumbling, the player came to a halt directly behind Illfang.

"…Get out of there quickly!"

Kirito called out reflexively, but it was a moment too late. As the boss felt that it was «In a surrounded state», it gave out an exceptionally ferocious roar.

With a jerk, its large body sank into a crouch. Then its entire bulk was flung high up into a vertical jump. While on its course, its body along with the Nodachi, contorted and revolved during the jump. It was the omnidirectional attack «Tsumujiguruma»—…

"U…ooaah!"

Kirito ran directly toward the boss, using the one-handed sword rush technique «Sonic Leap». He tried to cancel the skill…

*Zashuu!* A sharp and heavy slashing sound rang out. The intense light effects showing that it was a critical hit flashed before Kirito's eyes. In the next moment, the Kobold king's huge body was sent angling sideways in the sky, and then it crashed into the ground before the tornado of its special attack could even form.

"Guruu!"

Yelling, it tried to stand up, but both its feet and arms quivered. It was a bad status that affected humanoid type monsters, the «Tumble» state—.

"Everyone—do a Full Attack! Surround it!"

"O…oooooh!"

Agil's six men cried out as if releasing the anger that had accumulated while they had only been able to concentrate on guarding until now. Surrounding the fallen Kobold king, they activated all their vertical slashing sword skills simultaneously. Axes, maces and hammers wrapped in lights of various colours, and rained down incessantly on its huge body. Bright lights and loud sound effects exploded, and Illfang's HP gauge which was shown at the top of our field of vision was shaved down bit by bit.

This was a gamble. If all the Kobold king's HP was reduced to nothing before it got up, it would be our victory. If it got out of the «Tumble» status first, in that instant we would be met with «Tsumujiguruma» again, and this time everyone would be cut down.

Agil's group, who had recovered from the post-motion delay of their techniques, began the pre-motions for their next skills. The Kobold king stopped struggling at the same time, and its body started to rise.

"…We're not going to make it!"

Kirito yelled, but Ichigo didn't listened.

"Let's go!" He yelled to the people who can still fight.

Its HP gauge…was left with one dot.

It felt like the demi-human gave a smirk. Ichigo grinned madly, like Shiro did whenever they were dueling.

For the last attack, he turned to the Illfang – and used the last attack he had – almost same time with Kirito.

The Kobold king's gigantic frame, suddenly losing its strength, staggered backwards.

Its wolflike face looked towards the ceiling, as it gave a howl. Over its body, various cracks noisily appeared, resounding with a snap and crackle.

Both its hands went slack, and its nodachi fell onto the floor. After that, the body of Aincrad's first floor's boss, «Illfang the Kobold Lord» shattered into millions of fragments, and scattered grandly in all directions. As everyone bent backwards under the intangible pressure, the purple system message [You got the last attack!] flashed soundlessly into Ichigo and Kirito's vision.

* * *

As the boss dispersed, the remaining Sentinels at the back also seemed to have scattered into nothingness.

The hue of the shining torches on the walls changed from a gloomy orange into a bright yellow. The dimness in the boss's room was immediately lifted, and from goodness knows where a cool wind swept across the room, taking away the heat of the battle.

There was barely anyone who broke the silence. Groups G and E remained at the back, Groups A, C, D and F who were on their knees, awaited recovery, and Agil alongside his Group B, the «Final Wall», sat on the floor, looking around dazedly. It was almost as if they were concerned the terrifying demi-human king would revive.

Is this really the end? Would any «Minor differences from Beta» occur here as well...?

Everyone must have thinking about the same thing.

As if the system had been awaiting that recognition, now a new message appeared in my view. The experience gained. The distribution of col. And finally ―― the items obtained.

It was over... The biggest obstacle which had kept eight thousand players confined to the first floor, has finally been removed.

When the obtained items and experience point window opened, everybody cheered, believing that they defeated thSome people threw both hands up into the air. Some embraced their comrades. Some danced nonsensically. In this storm of uproar, a large figure slowly got off the floor and strode over. It was the two-handed-axe user, Agil.

"...Those were wonderful commands. And more than that those sword skills were spectacular. Congratulations, this victory is rightfully yours."

Even with the English word in the middle, the giant pronounced the sentence perfectly, and as his mouth closed, he had a large grin. He stretched out his large right hand clenched into a fist. Ichigo punched it, with a grin.

At that moment.

"―――― Why!"

Suddenly, that loud shout howled out. Everyone turned to see the source of the voice.

"―――― Why, did you leave Diabel-san to die!"

This man, was a member of Group C... in other words he had been one of the deceased knight Diabel's comrades from the start.

Looking at him, Kirito muttered.

"Let him die...?"

"That's right! Because... Because you knew the skills the boss used, didn't you! If you had given us that information from the start, Diabel wouldn't have died!"

His cries came as if vomiting blood, and the remaining raid members began to rumble. "Now that you mention it..." "Why...? It wasn't even written in the strategy guide..." giving rise to speculation, which gradually spread.

Ichigo expected Kibaou to say what he actually knew – but it wasn't him who actually said it.

"I... I know! This guy: he's a beta tester! That's why, the boss's attack patterns, good hunting spots and quests, he knows all of them! He hid them despite knowing about them!"

Even upon hearing those words, the scimitar user and the other members from Group C did not show any surprise. Ichigo sighed.

They might have heard it from Diabel, but ―― as a beta tester himself, and hiding that fact from his comrades, it was unlikely that Diabel would have brought up the topic of beta testers on his own ―― when he discerned those katana skills that should never have been seen by anyone before, they must have known then.

Instead, the scimitar user's eyes seemed to seethe in hatred, as he again tried to shout out something.

It was interrupted by the mace user who had served as a tank with Agil until the end. He raised his hand dutifully, and said in a calm tone.

"Even so, the guide that was handed out yesterday, it was written that it was information on the boss's attack pattern only from the beta period, right? If he was really a beta tester, wouldn't his knowledge be the same as in the guide?"

"Tha, That is..."

Replacing the Group E member who became silent, the scimitar user spoke in a voice venomous with animosity.

"That strategy guide was a lie. Argo's information shop was selling lies. That person was a beta tester after all, there's no way she would have given us the truth for free."

_――This is bad. This is becoming very bad._

Ichigo thought. He looked at Kirito to read his thought – and a bit surprised to see a ominous grin.

"An original beta tester, right? ... Don't lump me together with those amateurs."

"Wha... What was that...?"

Ichigo caught what Kirito was thinking. He can't really let him get all the blames...

"Listen here and remember well. SAO's CBT «Closed Beta Test» had an outrageously low acceptance for the lottery draw. Out of the one thousand people, how many real MMO gamers do you think got selected? Most of them were just «Newbie» players who didn't even know methods of leveling properly. You guys here are much better than that lot."

"That's not all." Ichigo butted in. "This game is virtual reality – the physical ability of the player is an important factor. Even though the MMO game experience is important, your reaction to the monsters and revising the plan is important. "

Everyone whispered to each other. No one expected Ichigo to be a beta tester, it seemed.

"――But, we're not like those guys." Kirito said, catching what Ichigo wanted to say.

Deliberately sneering, he opened his mouth and broke the silence.

"During the beta testing, we reached floors no one else could reach. And there we learned of the Katana Skills the boss used, as each of us fought and killed mobs that used katanas on way higher floors. We know a lot more too, there's no way even someone like Argo could match even one of us."

"...What's that, that's..."

The person who had first pointed Kirito out as a beta tester, the guy from Group E, then said in a hoarse voice.

"That's... no longer on the level of a beta tester... that's totally cheating, you're just a cheater!"

From all around the raid party, yeah, cheater, cheating beta tester, a multitude voices sprang up. The words were soon muddled together, and in the end a strange sounding word, «Beater», reached Ichigo's ears.

"...«Beater», that has a good ring to it." Ichigo grinned like Shiro – evil and sinister.

"Exactly, we are «Beaters». From now on, please do not lump us together with those former testers."

_――――That should do it._

From here on, of the four or five hundred current players that seem to be beta testers, they will now be divided into two further categories. The majority «Testers who are merely amateurs» and, the remaining few «Information controlling dirty Beaters».

In the future, the hostilities from the newer players, should all be directed towards the Beaters. So if a beta tester were to be discovered, then players would not immediately hate them.

_Though, thanks for Mamoru, I will have some people who will be my party member if necessary._

Kirito thought with a relief.

The scimitar user became pale-faced and fell silent, along with the Group C members, than the Group E member removed his gaze from the two beaters. Ichigo and Kirito opened their menu window and ran finger along the equipment figure.

Kirito changed his gray coat to the item he just got - «Coat of Midnight». Ichigo changed his weapon – a curved sword – to the Katana he just got, «Some no Owari»(1).

"We're going on to «Activate» the second floor's transfer gate as you have to do. From the exit here it will be a short walk to the district town, if you want to come along, you should be prepared to be killed by any mob that comes along." Ichigo paused for a moment. "Let's go, Hikari."

With that, Ichgo stepped forward with large strides, and pushed open the door to the second floor, situated behind the main throne.

* * *

After climbing the narrow spiral staircase for a while, a door once again appeared. The door exited into the middle of some steep cliffs. A narrow platform extended to the left which led to a flight of stairs descending down the cliff wall, from here Rukia swept her eyes over the panoramic view of the second floor.

Unlike the complex and varying terrain of the first floor, the second floor was lined from one end to the other with flat-topped mountains. The mountain tops were covered in lush green grass, where gigantic ox-type monsters sauntered around.

The second floor's district town, «Urbus», looked as if it was a city entirely excavated from the flat-topped mountain at the bottom of my view. From here they will descend the flight of stairs, and as Ichigo had earlier described, it would only require walking a short kilometer across the field, to reach the «Teleport Gate» in the central square of Urbus which would be activated upon touch, linking it to the «Starting City» on the first floor.

"Why did you help me?" Kirito asked Ichigo, who was looking at Rukia with amused smile. "No one noticed you because of your avatar had tattoo in the beta. You could just act as if you were not a beta player..."

"I just did what I thought to be right." He replied." I always followed my heart in important situations. I thought letting you get all the burdens will be hard."

"Well, thank you for that." Kirito replied. "By the way, do you have any Katana skills?"

"We both got it the day before yesterday. I'll get Ru - Hikari another one as soon as possible." Ichigo replied.

A footstep heard behind them. It was the rapier user – Asuna.

"Well, have a good time." Rukia said, and pulled Ichigo to the nearest town.

"So, it was tattoo, huh? How big? It must be big if any other beta recognized you." Rukia teased Ichigo.

"Shut up. It was more like half-kidnapped by the tattoo shop." He grumbled.

"As if." Rukia stretched. It felt nice...

"Race to the town? Lost one buy the dinner!"

"Bring it on!"

* * *

(1) Some no Owari is the name I made for the boss's katana. Some means beginning, and Owari means end. So, Some no Owari means end of beginning.I had some confusion about japanese grammer, but because 'Someno Mai' is 'Dance of starting'(or beginning), I thought the one come after the 'of' should come before the 'no'. If there's someone who is good at japanese grammer, please let me know the right one.

* * *

Sorry for the readers of this fanfiction(if there's any.). I had a church camp at beginning of the week, and I didn't have any kind of internet connections. It was hard to write on someplace like that, and most of the time I couldn't write, either.

Also, there'll be some revision on chapter 2. I read Aria in the Starless night on Korean, my first language, so I didn't really knew the spelling of Anneal Blade. Also, I forgot that it was quest item. Moreover, during reading it again for information, I realized that Wind Floret Asuna used was an item dropped from a monster, strengthened


	5. Chapter 5

Disclamer: I don't own Bleach on Sword Art Online.

**The Death Game**

* * *

"What? Argo sold an information for you – for free?" Ichigo exclaimed. "She never sold something for free!"

"Well, she did sold me something," Kirito replied. "I bought the reason behind her whiskers." He cleared his throat as he was uncomfortable.

"What was it?" Rukia chimed in, ignoring Kirito's discomfort.

"Well…." Kirito hesitated a bit. "I can teach you the quest she taught me – it's the reason behind the whiskers. Do you want to do it?"

"Well, it is a quest, isn't it? It can't be bad." Ichigo replied.

* * *

That was the last conversation between the two beaters. Since he found out what the quest was, Ichigo had something to say to the owner of the «Coat of Midnight».

But, he didn't expected that Kirito will ask him a favor.

"A «Strengthening Fraud»?" Ichigo asked back.

"Yes. Asuna had one a few days ago, and it's partly my fault. I have some idea how he did it, but we need more proof."

"So, you're asking us to get the evidence? You know, both of us are angry about the quest you told us about." Rukia asked. She followed Ichigo to see the quest, and got the quest too…

"I know, I'm sorry about it. I went through the same quest. But this is something I must do." Kirito said.

"It's not something expected to be said from the 'evil beater'." Rukia said. "I'll do it, depending on what you want to do."

"Well, it's not something big…"

* * *

"I never agreed if I knew you'd ask me to do tailing." Ichigo said.

"Shut up. You just tagged along." Rukia responded.

"Will you do the argument at somewhere else?" The rapier user, Asuna, said. Kirito, who was looking at the two yelling/hissing, abruptly said.

"You know, you two look like a married couple."

"We are not lovers!" Ichigo and Rukia both shouted. "Her brother will kill me if we're something like that!" "Are you crazy? An Idiot like him?"

"Well, you did said that you started playing this game again because of her, right?" Kirito asked to Ichigo. The orange haired man nodded. "And how long did you know each other?" He asked again.

"Hm…it was about one month after the beginning of the semester, so mid-May, I guess…"

"And you said that Hikari had to leave because of personal matter. When was it?" Kirito asked as if he was interrogating Ichigo.

"Well, the last date I remember before falling in coma was October, but they say it was November – I know I slept for a month and it _was _December when I woke up. She only had time to say goodbye, so it was Second day of December."

"Wait, you were in coma for a _month?_" Asuna asked in surprise.

"And the day you met her again?" Kirito kept asking.

"About seventeen months after – mid-May."

"So, you had no contact with her for more than one year, and you two are still a good friend – it smells kinda fishy, you know." Kirito said his conclusion.

"Think whatever as you like." Ichigo said with the kind of tone saying 'I'm giving up'.

"Well, I think that's a yes to our question." Asuna said.

"Did you had dinner?" Kirito said, puting down the paper bag on the table. "The «Steamed bun of Taran». I never ate this on beta." He put the bag on the table. Ichigo picked up one and passed it to Rukia.

"What…is the filling?" Asuna asked curiously.

"Well, since this floor's theme is cow, so it is probably a beef. Speaking of, I heard that 'meat' in Kansai area equal to beef, so they call the steamed bun at Kanto area as pork steamed bun or so." Kirito answered.

"So? Is this Kanto or Kansai?" The rapier user asked him. Kirito couldn't answer to that question…

"Itatakimasu." Rukia bit the bun. As soon as she bit the bun….

"Whaaa!" Warm custard cream erupted from the hole, covering Rukia. "It's more like dessert than meal!" She exclaimed.

"If any of you knew what was inside the bun, I personally don't mind killing any of you…"

"Nope! This is first time I bought this! I absolutely didn't know anything about this!" Kirito said, noticing Rukia's words carry the real intent to kill…

"I never saw this item in the beta, either." Ichigo answered, knowing the worst it could happen is losing all of his memory. He took out a handkerchief and gave it to her. She took it without a word, and wiped out the custard cream.

"If we're going to tail somebody again, I'll make the dinner." Asuna said coldly.

"I'll expect that." Kirito said.

"Who said I'll make for you?"

* * *

The result of the stakeout could be failure…if it weren't for the last customer.

The man was from Lind's Guild, one of the Clearers. His weapon was one-handed long sword.

"The «Stout Brand»(1). " Ichigo said, recognizing the sword.

"Do you know the man?" Kirito asked Asuna, the only one who were at the field boss meeting.

"I think his name is Shivata or something." She answered.

"Shivata? Not Shibata?" Kirita asked.

"He said his name was Shivata." Asuna answered. (2)

The weapon smith – according to Kirito and Asuna, Nezha – put down the sword, and reached to the sack behind him…

"He'll do it!" Rukia exclaimed.

The next step was same as they described – the smith hit the sword for nine times, and at the tenth time –

The Sword broke.

"The left hand – it shined a bit." Rukia said with a serious expression that Kirito never saw on her face.

"You noticed it, huh?" Ichigo said. Kirito was bit surprised, since they only saw the brazier, and they caught it at first time without telling the importance.

"What will you do?" Asuna asked Kirito, who planned all of the plans they had.

If any of them reveal the Strengthening Fraud to that Shivata guy, he can get his favorite sword again – on the other hand, it could cause the first Player kill in the game.

"Why… why the «Legend Braves» are doing such a thing? How can they made it possible?" Kirito muttered. "Why? If they have plan, they can do it."

"What he mean is 'how they actually had courage to do it?', I guess." Ichigo said. "When they plan, it's mostly work when everything goes right into the plan. In real life, there's high chance that something will go wrong."

"Because they imagines, maybe they passed the hurdle."Asuna said. Everyone looked at her for explanation.

"If you ignore about the ethical hurdle, the only thing that it matter is the fact that life is dangerous if anyone know about it, isn't it? If they can reflect the attack outside the safe zone, that is. The six…no, five «Legend Braves» are probably not far from it." Asuna said.

"Hey…stop…..if the guys there are strong enough to ignore the front lines…it already means…" Kirito couldn't finish his words.

"They are same as the ruler of the world." Ichigo finished.

* * *

"Hey, does any of you know something about that carpet?" It was Rukia who broke the silence.

"What carpet?" Ichigo asked his partner in this world.

"The carpet that Nezha guy have. I know that it have ability to delay time for the decaying of an item, but I never knew you can store items in that." She said. That one comment rang a bell in the two beater's head.

"See and count the time it took!" Kirito said, moving his item panel to the left – where his left hand will touch if laid free. He dropped his sword to the storage window, and tapped it again. The Anneal Blade appeared again.

"How's it?" Kirito asked. Asuna shook her head.

"The phenomenon is similar, but the speed is definitely faster on his case." Rukia said. She definitely knew if Nezha did anything like that.

"The effect, you have two different ones. That blacksmith only had once, and it was faster." Ichigo agreed.

"…You don't think that the fraud is his own intention, do you?" Asuna asked Kirito, who was thinking about something.

"Eh?"

"When I asked him yesterday, he said 'Did you come for the new weapon? Or repairing?' , as if he didn't wanted to do strengthening…." Asuna said. The two shinigamis who didn't saw the scene had chance to know about it with more details.

"Yes….that must be it….So that's why he made a awkward face when we requested a strengthening." Kirito said.

"In my opinion, I'll prefer if they say that the fraud is just our delusion. But if the people of the guild abandon him and let the angry players get him…." Asuna muttered. A small sound interrupted her, and a mark appeared on Kirito's still opened window.

"Excuse me," He tapped the mark and a window appeared with a message. It was from Argo the Rat. It was the information Kirito asked her – all about the members of the «Legend Braves». Roland – whose name was from French, as everybody expected, Beowulf – the legend from Danes, Cú Chulainn from Celtic legend, and for last – the blacksmith Nezha.

"Eh….?" "Really?" "What?" "There's different way to read it?" Was the four people's reaction to his name's origin.

"But the members definitely called him 'Nezuha'!"

With that, Kirito finally realized how Nezha did the trick.

* * *

"So, you gave him that rare item you got during the hunt?" Ichigo asked Kirito on the way to the Floor boss. "If I am remembering correctly, that thing's expensive, isn't it?"

"Yes, but I'm sure that I won't use it." Kirito said. "Nezha – no, Nata – (3)had to use a long distance weapon if he really want to play this game."

"Well, someone took three days for the quest." Asuna said. It was a rare item – he only got one during the entire hunting. Also, the player needed a certain skill in order to use it…

"Well, one more person and it could be a full raid party." Ichigo said.

It was ten days after the second floor was open, and everyone was excited because the unbeatable was beaten.

"He will come to the third floor's raid party. That weapon can be strong by how he use it."

"….By the way, Kirito Kun." Asuna said. "I don't think we have to worry about someone else's party."

"Ah….yes. We have to think about our own party…" Ichigo answered.

"Even if Lind-san said he would make party right before the entering the boss room, there's three blue teams, three green teams, and one for «Legend Braves» and Agil-san's. It make's eight parties."Asuna said. She was right – the raid party is made of eight parties, and each party can have up to 6 people. There was no serious demerit if one's not on the raid party, but they can't see the player's HP and vice versa.

"Long time no see, you four." Agil said. "I heard you two became partners?" He asked to Kirito and Asuna.

"It's not like being partner. It's temporary truce." Asuna said.

"Speaking of, Agil-san, do you have place for another member at your party?"

"Well, about that, two of my party members couldn't come to the raid party. They have something like cold – I never knew that one could have cold in the game." He added.

"Well, it is possible. By the way, are you okay with the beta testers in your group?" Kirito – the friendlier one between the two beaters- asked.

"Well, there's not much who call you two as…..umm, What was it? Beater? Yes, beater. Not everyone hate you as beaters – there's even some nicknames for you two." Agil said. It was something that those two never heard before – mainly because they tried not to get in touch with most players.

"What is it?" Kirito asked.

"The 'Man in black' or 'Blacky' for you,"-Agil pointed Kirito-"And 'sanseki'(6) or –"

"Thank you for the offer." Ichigo cut off the bald man's word – he was afraid that Agil would say anything related to his activity in the real life. There was low chance that he actually say that, but he didn't like nicknames mainly because the nickname he had in the real life.

"Thank you for the offer again. I'm sure the Blacky appreciate it, too." Asuna followed.

"Hey…I have to use that nickname?" Kirito asked Asuna.

"Well, Isn't Blacky means the one who read the lines for the actors when they forgot, is it? I think it's a good nickname for you."

"I…is it so?...But that's not the point!" Kirito exclaimed to Asuna bit late.

"If you want me to call you Kirito-kun, I don't mind calling you like that."

"That's not the point either!"

"Well, it seems like I don't have to worry about the switching point-you two are good at matching times." Agil said with a laugh. He reached his hand to Asuna and Kirito – Ichigo and Rukia went somewhere else when they were arguing.

Two men came out in front of the boss room. One had his hair like horns, and the another had blue hair, full of silvery armor. Kibaou and Lind.

"Eek..Is it double- leader again?" Asuna squeaked a bit.

"There should be only one leader by the system, isn't it?" was Agil's reply.

"Since it's time, we will plan about the parties in the raid! My name is Lind, and I'm the leader of this boss battle!" Lind said cheerily – His tone was same as Diabel, before he was killed in the first floor boss battle….

"It was just a coin toss, though." Kibaou said with a bit of dissatisfaction. A number of people laughed.

"We could get here, the second floor boss room in ten days because of you top players! If you lend me that power, I'm sure we can beat the boss! Let's go to the third floor today!" All the ones who didn't laughed at Kibaou's comment agreed.

"Okay, then let's make parties! Among the 8 parties, A, B, and C, is our «Devine Dragon Alliance», D, E, and F is Kibaou's «Aincrad Liberation Corps», G is the Roland's «Legend Braves» which will attend the boss from now, and the H is…" Lind turned to the place where Agil and everyone is, and stiffened a bit. He continued as if nothing happened.

"Is the remaining peoples. Now, as for the roles, A to F took the attack for the boss monsters, while the other took care of the other monsters in the room…" Roland from the «Legend Braves» interrupted his words.

"Would you stop it for a moment?"

It was a member from the «Legend Braves», Roland.

"We came here to hunt the boss monster, not just minor mobs." Ichigo couldn't help but think about time when he call the Gillians just minor Hollows, but the other Shinigamis assigned to the Karakura ran away whenever they saw one. The most players outside the raid party won't dare call any monster in the boss room as a minor…

Most of the raid members muttered to themselves – mostly about the guild being too prideful. Even if it was almost sure that most of the guild member's level would be bit lower than the mean of the raid party, the looks of good items showed a kind of aura saying that it will be dangerous if anyone stand against them.

"…..Okay. Than G will be in the boss team." Lind said.

"By the information on the market, there is only one side monster and it does not reappear. Is it okay to ask to the H?" Agil raised his hand to say something.

"They say there's only one, but it is not just a minor monster, it's at least middle to boss level. There's no proof that it will be only one. It's a hard burden with just a one party."

"Yes, we have no intention of repeating the tragedy of first floor. If there's anything different from the information, we will retreat and make a new plan. Okay?" Lind answered.

"Now, Let's go!" With that one comment, everyone cheered.

* * *

"He's coming!" Kirito yelled.

The monster – Toras? – yelled and striked his hammer. The skill only for the monsters - «Numbing Impact».

"One full powered attack!" With that, all the members attacked the cow-man.

"….It's possible!" Asuna yelled while attacking the monster.

"Be careful! It use the numbing skills when it's HP goes lower that one third! And there is possibility of using unknown skill like at the first floor!" Kirito yelled as a warning.

Five minutes after the battle started – there was no one seriously damaged so far from the team H – even though it didn't mean anything serious. The monster they were dealing with wasn't the boss.

"Duck!" One of the players from the main party yelled. They moved out from the boss monster's own skill - «Numbing Detonation». The skill cause stun, which last more than numbing. The boss monster - «Baran the General Toras», prepared another Detonation.

A player who bend his body to get his spear get another hit. This time, there was a light green light around his body – Paralysis. The bad part of the numbing skill was that – if you got hit for two times in a row, you got paralyzed. Even the lowest paralysis took 5 minutes to heal oneself – it was a clear death if you don't use any healing items.

"The main party is weaker than I thought." Agil muttered.

"But there's no one seriously damaged. It is possible…" Kirito answered.

"But won't it be harder to retreat if there's more people plralyzed?" Asuna asked with worried tone.

"That is a definite possibility." Rukia answered. "It may be better to retreat once and make a new plan."

"I agree, but…" Kirito looked to the main party. If he yelled to them, it could make distraction to them.

"We can stand with 5 people at this part." Agil answered. Kirito nodded and attack the monster for once, and ran to the main party – and said something to Lind. Even it was far, Ichigo could clearly see Lind nodded. Kirito ran back to the team H.

"How did it go?" Someone yelled to him.

"He say that he will retreat if there's one more paralyzed player!" Kirito yelled.

"Than just kill this one and join the main!" Agil yelled to cheer up everybody.

"OK!"

* * *

"Not head, the butt! It comes in diagonal line!"

The pace of the team H was great. They were surprised by the yelling at the main party – but soon realized that it was a cheer.

"Thank god, there's no big difference between beta." Asuna said.

"Yes…From the first floor, we could have found out that the weapon changed to katana. But in this floor, the General is almost exactly same as beta…Why?" Kirito asked Asuna, who paled a bit.

"No…it's nothing. It's just that…the first floor boss was Lord, but it's General here…"

At that moment, the room shook with a loud noise. When Kirito and Asuna looked at the source of the noise – the graphic was cracking, just like any other object pop up…

The biggest Toras they ever saw appeared in front of their eyes, with the name-

«Asterious the Toras King».

* * *

"Everyone, full power attack!"

With that one cry, everyone got back to the reality in front of them.

Someone used the skill «Thrust» to the forehead. Most of the Toras living in the second floor's weakness was just there, between the horns. Most of the times, players didn't have to attack there, but at time like this, that was the only possibility.

Kirito used «Horizontal». It didn't attacked the side mob itself, but it did stopped the hammer of it. At that moment, the team H attacked the monster – even Kirito, who was in delay for using sword skill, used a Martial art skill he got by Argo's information.

"It have no delay if you use different kind of sword skill?" Ichigo muttered to himself. Maybe, the Martial art could be handy…

The monster in front of them broke up as a polygon. There was a last attack mark on Kirito's window, but he ran to the rain without looking at it.

"Let's go, Kirito-kun!" Asuna said with a tone about to cry.

"Asuna, you should…" Ichigo could easily guess what he wanted to say – what Rukia said when she had to go Soul Society as a criminal.

"Let's go." Asuna said again – Kirito just nodded.

"Go right and take down the Baran first. If the King attack before we reach there, go as far as we can."

"Ok!"

The members of Team H ran toward the general. It was in berserk mode, and using the «Numbing Detonation» over and over. It's HP was red, though.

Kirito jumped when he thought he was near the Baran, and the used the sword skill «Sonic Leap». He accelerated once more and attacked the monster. The HP left was only two points –

Ichigo used the basic katana skill, «Iai». With that, the Baran dissolved, too.

The team H turned to the King – and saw the king was holding his breath till his chest. It meant only one thing – breath attack, and Asuna was directly on the path of the attack.

* * *

"Asuna, duck to left!" Kirito yelled with his all might.

When she was about to kick the floor to jump to the left, the King puffed out the attack. It was Electric type attack – which have extra ability to…

'Damn it.' Ichigo thought as he realized he was paralyzed. He slowly moved his hand to pocket in his hip to bring out a potion. He looked to Rukia to check if she ducked it – fortunately she did.

Most of the players were paralyzed – it seemed that the only thing left for Lind was to retreat…

Ichigo got up. His paralyze wasn't fully healed, but it was enough to duck any moves if needed.

He looked to his side – Agil was moving the paralyzed player out of the King's attack range. Judging by the cloth of the player, it must be Kirito. He moved his sight to the head of the boss – and Ichigo found what he was looking.

A weapon attacked the King, and it moved a bit behind where it was standing.

* * *

"That guy…?!"

It was easy to see the surprise on everyone's face it was not because he came in just before retreat, but because he was just a weaponsmith a few days before. It was Nezha.

"Why…?" Someone muttered. The part he skipped must be "A blacksmith like him is here?". Kirito, Asuna and some other player was surprised, too – not because of why, but because of the fact that he mastered the Argo's quest just in three days.

The leader of the guild «Legend Braves» started to say something, but he shut up himself.

"I'll lead the boss, so renew the line!" Nezha said.

He ran to the King. Even though the king's speed was slow, slow enough for Nezha to move, His breath attack was more than enough to damage him…

"A…Agil….Tell him about the breath…" Kirito brought out the words he wanted to say – but it was just than the Asterious attacked.

"He…actually know when the breath will come out?!" Rukia muttered to herself.

"They say that the boss's eyes gleams just before he use the breath attack." A familiar voice – of someone who should not be there – said. Ichigo turned; It was Argo the mouse.

"What are you doing? You recovered from the paralysis." Argo snapped at Kirito, who was still lying. He slowly stood up.

"Hey, long time no see, you horn head." Argo said to the sub leader, Kibaou. She got right into the topic.

"If you're going to keep attack the boss right now, I'll sell the information for free – only this time."

Kibaou and Lind thought for a moment, and they agreed.

* * *

"Okay….Attack! Team A and D to front!" Lind restarted the attack.

The two party made of Tankers go front – and almost disturbed the Nezha, who was still distracting the King.

"Nezha!" Kirito yelled.

The  
ex-weaponmaker grabbed the Chakram and ran to the back of the raid party. The weapon Chakram was almost the only weapon which was used in SAO – it was not hard why it was a rare item. Kirito gave it to him with the condition of erasing the weapon making skill.

Nezha fixed the way he held his weapon. A yellow light came off from the chakram, and with that, it flew directly to the boss.

"It…just feel like a dream…" Nezha said. "Kirito-san, I'm Okay, so support the main team!"

"Then, please take care of the breath attacks!" With that, Kirito and Asuna ran to the Asterious. Ichigo and Rukia was already in the battle.

* * *

"Why you two are this late?" Ichigo asked to the couple who just came.

"Nothing, really. Just a word or two with Nezha." Kirito said.

"Well, it's a good thing that he will quit the fraud from now." Asuna replied. "I think I'll have to accept if it contribute to going upward…"

"You two said you didn't made a team, right?" Agil abruptly asked Kirito and Asuna.

"We didn't." Asuna said with a finishing tone.

"Do you think we should say something?" Rukia muttered to Ichigo.

"Just shut up." Was his only reply.

* * *

"Now, Asuna!" Kirito yelled. The two shinigami who read the flow of the battle jumped at almost same time.

Four weapons – one one-hand sword, one rapier, and two katanas- used a sword skill each. «Shooting Star» from the rapier user, «Sonic Leap» from the black beater, and two «Iai» - and with that final attack, the king dissolved into polygons.

* * *

"Congratulation." A English word was Agil's greeting about beating the king.

"You guys worked great, but the real winner of this battle is him." He turned to Nezha.

"Definitely. If he didn't came, at least ten people would have died."

"It was all because you gave me this, Kirito san." Nezha said. "Your last sword skill was amazing."

Kirito turned to the main party. "I think it's okay for you to be there." He said to Nezha, pointing his guilds.

"No…I still have one more thing to do."

Ichigo could only think one thing.

"Well, I hate political stuff or something like that, so we will leave first." He said, grabbing Rukia's arm.

* * *

"How did it go?" Ichigo asked to Kirito, who just came up.

"Well, the members gave their armors and weapons to the victims." Kirito said.

"It's a definitely good thing for them, right?" Rukia asked. Ichigo just nodded.

"Hey, are you going to do that Elf quest?" Kirito asked. Asuna, was the one who replied.

"There's something like that in this game?"

"Yes, and if I remember correctly, they have baths in their camp-"

"Shut up and just lead me there!"

* * *

(1) stout brand is the kind of sword the author wrote in here, but I couldn't find the real spelling.

(2) it was something about writing about it. I don't really underestood what it was about, too;

(3)something about the way reading again; if you want to know better at that, try wikipedia.

* * *

Sorry for the readers who waited for this chapter. I had so much to do.

And one more thing to apologize – I can't update this as fast as before since my school started last week. I will try to update at least a month though.

Sorry for the late update again.


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